Etsy Front Page 12/4/08 littlebirdesigns

Etsy Front Page 12/4/08 littlebirdesigns
Originally uploaded by Etsy Front Pagers
Yippee! My first Etsy front page! (That I know of - lol). Found a wonderful group on Flickr called Etsy Front Pagers, thanks to my teammates at Idaho Indie Works, that shows all the front pages, who curated them and who was featured. What a wonderful resource!

JC Herrell: Other folk's finished work with my beads

JC Herrell: Other folk's finished work with my beads

October Brings Changes

Some of my newest creations and a bit different from my usual fair.


This necklace was inspired by the photo of the spiral staircase which is inside of a lighthouse. Lighthouses always make me thing of solitude and waiting for someone special to return home. Hence the name, "Waiting".


My first crafting love was sewing and embellishing garments. With the days getting colder, I've been seeing artistic cuffs as so cozy and fascinating. I made this one to imitate Sally's dress from Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas".

With my recent experimentation in needle felting and combining my other crafts of beading and sewing I plan to make more cuffs and textile jewelry. Bringing all my crafts together full circle.

Heritage Challenge

This month The BeadHive offered a challenge within the group to create something honoring our individual heritage. As I thought of the different roads and reasons that took my ancestors to America and how their posterity has grown, my thoughts kept returning to my Scottish ancestors through my maternal line.

While taking a walk along the river here in Idaho Falls last week, I took a picture of a thistle and that really got the beads rolling. The first piece I made is a beaded thistle pendant. I used seed and bugle beads and stitched each one to a felted wool bead base.





As I worked on this pendant, I was considering what I would hang it from. It could be a ceiling fan pull, a rear view mirror dangle, a long necklace or a choker. I finally settled on a choker. But, as happens when creating as I go, the choker I started with became an entire creation all it's own. I decided the pendant will have to wait for another choker. This choker is fabric and fibers, lace, beads and a vintage button. All in tribute to the long line of wonderful, strong, tenacious, classy ladies that I can look back to and admire and learn from.

Heritage Inspiration Choker


Heritage Inspiration Choker - Inside


Heritage Inspiration Choker - Side

Breezeway Beads

I'm so happy to have some of my creations included on Breezeway Beads website. I found her beads a few years ago while looking for a focal bead to match one of my skirts. At the time I was just making a few pieces to go with my new office wardrobe for a new job. But what ended up happening was a love and an addiction for lampwork, beads, and creating little wearable works or art! Jane (Breezeway Beads) was helpful in explaining some of the terminology and I purchase my first lampwork bead from her. I've been a huge fan of her work ever since. Her focal beads are perfect to frame with semi-precious stones, Czech glass and Bali silver. I've created many pieces featuring her beads and there are more to come. You can see a few pieces at her website...
Breezeway Beads - Customer Creations

She sells her focal beads at her website and on ebay and Etsy under the same name, Breezewaybeads. You can see more of my creations highlighting her beads at my Etsy shop!

It's hard for me to pick an absolute favorite when it comes to her beads. I probably have a top 10. This bracelet was created from one the top ten. I named it "Shimmering Shores". I love how her bead looks so perfect with the labradorite and freshwater pearls.

In Full Bloom

My newest bracelet. It started out with the intention of being more pink than it turned out to be. This is a very vibrant bracelet! The roses and lampwork focal bead are handworked by talented artisans.

etsyBEAD Theme Week "Stormy Weather" Sale

Another treasury from this week's etsyBEAD Theme Week sale. I was lucky to be included in this one as well. I love the Fiber Beads from EBrown2503! Click on the treasury to go to it. (Notice the expiration time though.)

Stormy Weather

EBTW Stormy Weather Listings

Living most of my life in the Seattle area and then being transplanted to SE Idaho leaves me longing for a good rainstorm and the fresh clean air it leaves in it's wake. I guess that's why I seem to make jewelry that reflects the weather everyone complains about but I miss. I have 4 listings I've marked down 15% for this two-week sale. There lower price ends on Saturday, April 5th in the evening.

EBTW SALE at GemmaBeads

A New Week - New Treasuries!

Here are three very different Etsy treasuries. I've linked the pictures back to the treasuries so you can view them more closely and click on the item links. However, treasuries only last for 3 days so the link won't last forever. Fortunately, the sellers name is below their items and titles so you can find them if you'd like to.

This first one is from Idaho Indie Works. So bright and cheery. Just what we need this time of year!

Springtime in Idaho

This next treasury is a collection of giraffe inspired items and includes a pair of my earrings...

Long Necked Blondes

And last but not least is the etsyBEAD theme week "Stormy Weather". This treasury includes my "Cloud Tears" earrings.

EBTW Stormy Weather

I have a few items on sale with this weeks theme. Click on the link to get these select items at 15% off until March 29th!

GemmaBeads' EBTW Sale - "Stormy Weather"

All etsyBead Theme Week "Stormy Weather" listings.

Treasuries...So much fun to discover

For those of you who don't know, Etsy has a super fun feature called a Treasury. It's so fun to be included in this group of twelve listings. Last week's EtsyBEAD Theme was "Spring Bouquet" and I have more than a few things that fit that idea. A pair of earrings I call "Cuties" was chosen.



EtsyBEAD is such a great group of folks and really keeps this theme thing going. I am always looking forward to the next theme. Between this group and the Bead Hive, I get a lot of inspiration and motivation.

Seasons Change...

Today's new listings are quite different from each other. Someone commented that one would be great for Spring / Summer and the other, Fall / Winter. I completely agree!

This first set makes me think of fragrant Spring blossoms perfuming the air. I named it "Spring Breeze" for that reason. I especially love that it was completed on the first day of Spring, my favorite season.

Spring Breeze

This second set features rich, carved Carnelian and stunning Borosilicate lampwork beads. This is the set that would be great for fall. (Although it would look great with a Summer tan!)

Inner Glow

"No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn." ~Hal Borland

A Higher Plane

A bead group on Ebay has a challenge this month to create something to celebrate "flight". About the same time I saw the post for the challenge, I saw the perfect beads. It was meant to be. I created a bracelet that brought to mind Jonathon Livingston Seagull. Having read most of Richard Bach's books, I have a fondness for his writing and wonderfully quotable passages.

A Higher Plane

'One day, Jonathan is met by two gulls who take him to a "higher plane of existence", where he meets other gulls who love to fly. He discovers that his sheer tenacity and desire to learn make him "a gull in a million". Jonathan befriends the wisest gull in this new place, named Chiang, who takes him beyond his previous learning, teaching him how to move instantaneously to anywhere else in the universe. The secret, Chiang says, is to "begin by knowing that you have already arrived".'

Spring Safari!

This week's EtsyBead Theme "is Spring Safari". I've been building a stash of beads that fit I just needed to get them put together. Nothing like a little motivation. I've made a couple of bracelet/earring sets, a pair of earrings and a choker necklace. The picture should take you directly to the Etsy listing. Hope you take a look!

Safari

Savanna

Long Necks

Wild Bunch

Make New Friends

Today I joined two Etsy teams. I LOVE Etsy and have really enjoyed the past 6 months there. I'm sure the next 6 months and beyond will be even more fulfilling.

The first group I've associated myself with is Idaho Indie Works. "...a group of local Etsians who want to work together to help grow our businesses and bring awareness to the importance of buying handmade."

I love that they meet and actively participate with each other to bring awareness of each others work, Etsy, and the Handmade movement to the state of Idaho.

The other group I joined is EtsyMoms. "...dedicated to promoting women artists and crafters who also share the joy of being mothers. Some of our members work from home, some work from other places, but we all share a love of creating beautiful, useful, artful things. Our goal is to create a forum where these creative EtsyMoms can inspire each other, discuss our work, share the success of juggling kids at home, with housework, jobs and creating for our etsy shops, as well as marketing ideas for Etsy.com, advertising and promotional opportunities, and maybe make a few friends along the way."

I especially love that this group celebrates motherhood and requests family friendly posting. I appreciate that.

These two groups are not so different in their ultimate goals. I can't wait to get to know these folks!

I've just finished my "New Boho" collection! A couple of years ago, I bought a jewelry kit for my older daughter. These beautiful stickers were left over. Lately, my typewriter key box has been overflowing with keys that I'll probably not use a lot like B, G, and M. I'd rather do something creative with them than make a random bracelet or sell them. I added some matching beaded charms and this collection came to life.

The Bracelet...

Bracelet Detail...

The Earrings...

The Pendant...

I have listed these on in my Etsy shop - GemmaBeads.etsy.com

I have some lampwork beads that I will be listing on Ebay, also under GemmaBeads.

Who is GemmaBeads?

GemmaBeads is my little jewelry and bead design venture. I chose the name Gemma for a few reasons. Gemma is an anagram of my family's names initials. I work with gems. I live in the Gem State. And, a gemma is a new leaf bud capable of growth. I'm hoping my new little budding business will also be capable growth.

I want to use this blog to share new designs, inspirations and thought processes (which can be odd). I sell my creations nearly exclusively on Etsy. Once in a while I'll post a piece on Ebay. I belong to the bead group The BeadHive.

My jewelry creations are individual works of art. I use many mediums and techniques. My favorite beads to work with are Artisan crafted Lampwork glass beads and semi-precious stones. I use quality components and beads to put together one of a kind pieces. As with most creative types, I am always seeing thing differently. I love to alter dominoes - use the smooth back for my little canvas. These will be turned into pendants, brooches, magnets, etc. I love finding new ways to use beads and add beads too. Like hairsticks, cell phone charms, and so on. I love text and quotes and have found creating with antique typewriter keys a great way to combine this love with jewelry making.

I get inspired many different ways. Sometimes, as happened recently, I started thinking of lines from Willy Wonka and seeing those lines interpreted in jewelry.

SNOZZBERRIES - The lickable wallpaper bracelet.

THE CHOCOLATE WATERFALL - Bracelet

TURNING VIOLET - Earrings

I will be posting more as I have more to share. Feel free to drop me a line!